Sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems



Jan. 28, 1941. l ,Y c. J. clD 2,230,179

SPRINKLER HEAD FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS Filed Feb. 2o, 1939 Patented Jan. 28, 1941 SPBINKLEB HEAD FOR FIRE EXTINGUISH- ING SYSTEMS Cesar J. Cid, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application February 20, 1939. Serial No. 257,556 In Canada January 17, 1939 13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sprinkler heads for fire extinguishing systems and the primary object ofthe invention is to provide a sprinkler head which will open automatically to permit egress therefrom of water or other nre extinguishing iiuid when the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere rises to a predetermined degree and which will close automatically to stop egress of nre extinguishing fluid when'the temw perature of the surrounding atmosphere falls to a predetermined degree. 1

A further object is to provide a sprinkler head in which the operation of temperature responsive means governing the opening and closing of the 15 head is not affected by fire extinguishing iiuid flowing in or from the head.

A still further object is to provide a thermostatically coiifilolled sprinkler head which will open and close quickly.

Another object is to provide a sprinkler head in which the closure member is protected from foreign matter which might interfere with proper working of the head.

,Still another object is to provide a sprinkler 25 head in which the temperature responsive element and all working parts are shielded from mechanical injury which might interfere with the proper working thereof, the temperature responsive element being nevertheless exposed most ad- 30 vantageously to the surrounding atmosphere.

An additional object is to provide a sprinkler head of simple, durable and eilicient construction.

Various other objects and the advantagesof the invention may be ascertained from the following 35 description and the accompanying drawing.

The sprinkler headsat present i'n general use all have the great disadvantage that they are incapable of closing or being closed once they have opened. l As result, it happens not infrequently that, after a fire has been extinguished; the water or other fire extinguishing fluid continues to flow from the sprinkler until the supply is cut oif and thereby occasions much needless damage to a building and its contents. Also, the sprinkler 45 heads at present in general use throw out the closure and locking means thereof when they operate and the head is therefore incapable of reuse until these parts have been replaced. Until this replacement is effected the water must be 50 shut oil' and part or all of the system thus rendered inoperative for its purpose. If a re should recur during this period there is no protection.

Thermostatically controlled sprinkler heads have been proposed but are unsatisfactory by reason of 55 slow or imperfect opening and closing.

Broadly speaking, the present invention consists in providing a sprinkler head having a closure member mechanically urged to closed position and governed by a thermostat arranged to open or initiate opening of the head when the 5 temperature of the surrounding atmosphere rises to a predetermined degree and to permit or cause closing thereof when the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere falls to a predetermined degree.

More particularly the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of features disclosed in the present description or in the accompanying drawing, together with all such modifica-- tions thereof or substitutions of equivalents therefor as are withinvthe scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of my invention now preferred together with a modification thereof. but to the details of which embodiments the invention is not confined:

Fig. l is an elevation of a sprinkler head embodying that form of my invention now preferred. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating various modifications of structure.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Il designates the hollow body of a sprinkler head which is conveniently, though not necessarily, of cylindrical form and provided with an internal transverse member I2 which is preferably a spider serving to guide and support parts hereinafter referred to. 'I'he body is provided with a. hollow threaded neck I5 forming an inlet passage for the body, the neck being adapted for attachment to a pipe supplying water or other iire extinguishing fluid. The upper part of the body may be of reduced diameter, as shown at I6, and is provided with an internal shoulder Il which may be formed by vprovision of a flange i8 or any other suitable means. The flange I8 or any equivalent structural feature forming the shoulder Il is in ternally threaded to receive an externally l threaded seat ring I9 having a seat surface 20 which may be at or otherwise formed. 'I'he seat ring `may extend some distance above the seat or may terminate at any different level and is provided with means, such as the slots 2i, for engagement with a suitable tool to screw the seat ring into the body and against the shoulder I1.

The upper part of the body may be provided with a nozzle member22 screw-threadedinto the 55 body or attached thereto in any other suitable way, permitting of the insertion and retention of a diaphragm 23 of paper or other suitable readily rupturable material as by clamping between the body and the nozzle member. The nozzle member is provided with a yoke 2l or other suitable structure supporting a deecting plate 25 oi' any usual or suitable form in axial alignment with and spaced relation to the opening 26 of the nozzle for the purpose of distributing nre extin-I guishing iiuid over a considerable area, as is well understood.

'Ihe member I2 is provided with an opening 21 disposed in axial alignment with the seat ring I9. A valve or closure member 28 of any suitable form is provided upon the seat and has a depending stem 29 of an external diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of` the seat ring, whereby an annular passage 30 is established between the valve stem and the inner surface of the seat ring through which a re extinguishing iluid may ilow when the closure member is lifted from its seat.` 'I'he stem 29 is `provided with wings 3| iitting loosely within the seat ring for the purpose yof keeping the valve and stem centered in the ring, as will be well understood, but the wings may'beomitted if desired. The stem is provided with an extension 32 which passes freely through. the opening 2'I to approximately the While a valve closure spring has been shown and described, it will be understood the spring may be omitted and the diaphragm used may be of such stillr construction and resilient character at to normally perform the functions of the spring. Also, a spring and a resilient spring acting diaphragm may be used in conjunction. Alternatively, the thermostat may be of such still construction as to perform the function of the spring or of a resilient diaphragm and may be then directly connected to the spindle, as shown in Figure 4. Such a thermostat may be used in conjunction with a spring or spring diaphragm.

The sprinkler head is designed to be normally installed in the position indicated in the drawing,

that is, with the deflecung plate 25 at the top and the thermostat at the bottom, but it will be understood it may be installed otherwise, for example, in inverted position or axially inclined. In any position, the openings 31 allow the surrounding atmosphere free access to the thermostat and, in the normal position of the head, the thermostat is directly in the path oi' hot air rising vfrom a fire in the vicinity of the head.` 'I'he type of thermostat used is preferably the metallic bellows type charged with a highly volatile liquid, such as ether or a mixture of ether and acetone. Such a thermostat, when heated, exerts a very powerful expansive action by reason of volatilization of the 10ml. end of the body, where 1tcarries a shoe 3%/ liquid therein and thrusts against the valve stem which may be saucer-shaped as shown. A helical spring 3l is mounted in compression between the shoe 33 and the member I2 and surrounds the spindle extension 32. One end of this spring is held co-axial with the spindle by the saucershaped formation of the shoe, while the other end of the spring is held properly centered by a boss 35 on the member I2.

'I'he end of the body opposite the deilector 25 is provided with a cap 36 which may be screwed thereon or attached in any other suitable manner and is formed with a plurality of openings 31 giving free access to the interior of the cap.

A temperature responsive element 38. prefer-` ably of the volatile liquid containing bellows type.

is mounted within the closure cap and is preferably attached thereto by means of athreaded stud 39 on the surface of the thermostat remote from the spindle. Any other suitable type of` temperature` responsive element may be used. The opposite surfacel of the thermostat is separated from the shoe 33 by a thin corrugated nexible metal diaphragm l0 interposed between the thermostat -and the shoe for the purpose oi' closing the lowerend of the head and normally retaining the iluid pressure of the 'system in the head. `In the drawing the thickness of the diaphragm has been greatly exaggerated. The diaphragm lll is preferably mounted in a carrier ring i 4I threaded into or otherwise suitably secured to the body and is`connected to the spindle by any suitable means, such as a `nut 42. The thermodiaphragm is considerably greater than the effecstat is thermally insulated from the diaphragm, at points where force is transmitted from one to the other, by a washer 43 of suitable insulating material 'and is elsewhere insulated by the air space between them. The effective area of the tive area of the closure member.

The member I2, which is'a spindle guide and spring abutment, may be omitted and the spring shown in Figure 4.

closure member, as

wardly and outwardly and distributed over a large area in the well known manner. The thermostat being, when the head is in normal position, under the body and surrounded by the cap 35, is completely shielded fromme nmdescapmg through the head and any chilling of the thermostat is avoided, so that the head remains open as long as thetemperature oi' the surrounding atmosphere is at or above a predetermined degree.` When the Y temperature of the surrounding atmosphere falls sulciently, .the pressure of the vapour in the thermostat falls and enables the thermostat shell to contract, thus permitting the spring or the diaphragm or the thermostat, separately or -in combination according to the construction. to seat the closure member and stop the egress of nre extinguishing iluid from the head. Even if the head is installed `in inverted position, the thermostat is shielded by the body of the head and the cap 35 from escaping uid and vis thereby prevented from being chilled.

It will be observed that the eifectlve area of the system is much greater than the eilective area of the closure member 28 similarly exposed, whereby the directly connected closure member and diaphragm constitute an unbalanced -valve tending.. when closed, to beheld closed'by pressure in .the system, notwithstanding that the olosu're 28 :Ls outwardly-opening and. irrespective of any force exerteduby any or all of the'diaphragm, spring.

and thermostat shell tending to holdlthe closure' 2l on its seat. When the thermostat is heated; pressure builds up therein to a point where the expansive force is sufficient to overcome the unbalanced uuid pressure on the diaphragm and .the

' diaphragm Il exposed to the pressure within the mascara resistance of the diaphragm (and spring if any) toflexion and the closure member-is lifted fromr its seat. 'i The initial lifting of the closure member causes a sudden drop in fluid pressure within the head so that the unbalanced fluid 'pressure on the diaphragm is suddenly reduced, thusv enabling the pressure in the thermostat to complete -opening of the closure member very quickly, the expansiveV force of the' thermostat being -at that instant much greater than the flexion resistance of y lthe diaphragm (and'spring if any). in other words; the unbalanced fluid pressure on-thediaphragm holds the thermostat against expansion until the rexpanslve'force therein has built up to a degree considerably in excessof the inherent resistance of the diaphragm (and spring if any) and the force of the thermostat is then suddenly released against the diaphragmv and spring by sud'- den release of the unbalanced flui'd pressure in the head.

The converseoccurs in the'ciosing of the head. As'the thermostat cools off it contracts and allows the 'reflex action-of the diaphragm (and spring if any) to draw the closure member toward its seat. When the closing movement is sufficient to cause a throttling of the fluid flow, .pressure commences to build up in the head and acts upon the diaphragm to assist the reflex action thereof (and of the spring if any) to force the closure member quickly onto its seat.

The springs used will be of strength according to the fluid pressure in the system andv adequate to close the valve'and maintain the same tightly closed either alone or with the assistance of the unbalanced fluid pressure on the diaphragm, and thesame applies to the thermostat shell and diaphragm when either or both of these are used to perform the function of the spring. The thermostats will have capacity to flex the spring and the diaphragm to open the valve.

The sprinkler heads according to this invention i may be used equally well on either wet pipe or dry pipe systems.

While the illustrated embodiments of the invention are characterized by an arrangement of the closure member, diaphragm and thermostat in axial alignment, it will be understood the lnvention is not thus limited as other arrangements may be resorted to and lare contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a body, a valve therein, spring means normally holding said valve closed, a thermostat operatively connected to said valve to initiate valve opening and means for holding said thermostat inoperative to open the valve until activating pressure in the thermostat is sufliciently in excess oi the flexion resistance of said spring means to ensure quick full opening of the valve, said means comprising a member Iinterposed between the thermostat and fluid in the body and operatively connected to said thermostat to transmit pressure of said fluid to the thermostat.

2. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing syste'Tns comprising a body, a valve therein, a thermostat subject to fluid pressure in the body independently .of fluid pressure on said valve and thereby restrained from lexpansion, means for transmitting expansive movement of the thermostat to the valve to partially open same and release fluid pressure in the body whereby the thermostat is freed for rapid expansion to quickly open the valve.

the fluid pressure effective area of vthe second j member being greater than the like area of thev closure member, 'whereby the closure member is normally held in closed position by fluid pressure within the body and a thermostat operatively connected to said valve and adapted to overcome the unbalanced fluid pressure and open said valve.

4. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a body and an unbalanced outwardly opening outlet valve means therefor including operatively opposed effectively unequal portions exposed to fluid pressure in the body, the lesser of whichportions constitutes the valve closure, whereby saidvalve means is normally held in closed position by fluid pressure in the body acting on said valve means, and' a thermostat operatively connected to said valve means to open same and adapted upon predetermined thermal activation to develop pressure at least up to theunbalanced pressure of fluid in the body acting on said valve means, whereby upon relief of fluid pressure in the body the thermostat will open the valve quickly. f

5. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a body, an outwardly opening valve therein, means in the body connected to said valve and adapted to be directly acted on by fluid pressure in the body in opposition to fluid pressure on said valve to hold the valve normally closed, and a thermostat carried by the body and operatively connected to said valve to open same against the fluid pressure on said means.

6. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a body, an outwardly opening valve therein, a thermostat operatively connected to and arranged to open said valve and hold the same open during persistence of predetermined temperature conditions, valve closing means operatively connected to said valve and exposed to fluid pressure in the body and including spring means to initiate valve closing and fluid pressure actuated means operatively connected to said valve and effective to close the valve upon increase of fluid pressure inthe body due to partial ciosing of the valve by the spring means.

7. A sprinkler head for flre extinguishing systems comprising a body, having a fluid inlet intermediate its ends, an outlet valve normally closing one end of the body, a flexible diaphragm permanently closing the other end of the body, a thermostat outside the body arranged to thrust inwardly on said diaphragm, and means extend-- ing between the diaphragm and valvetotransmit thrust of the thermostat to said valve to open same. Y

8. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a body, an outwardly opening valve for said body, a thermostat mounted on the body for .opening said valve and operative connection between the valve and thermostat in-y cluding a flexible diaphragm mounted on the body, one of said thermostat, diaphragm and connection including spring means adapted to close the valve.

9. A sprinkler head for re extinguishing sysmediate its ends, an outwardly opening valve nor-` mally closing one end of the body, a flexible diaphragm closing the other end of the body, means operatively connecting said valve and diaphragm, a spring acting on the valve to urge the same to closed position and a thermostatv outside the body mounted thereon and arranged to thrustl against the diaphragm with valve opening eifect.

10. A sprinkler head for tire extinguishing systems comprising a body, an outwardly opening closure valve for said body, a resilient diaphragm exposed to fluid pressure in the body, connection between the diaphragm and valve arranged to urge the valve to closed position by reason of the resiliency of the diaphragm and the uid pressure thereon, and a thermostat operatively connected with said valve to open same.

11. .Asprinkler head for ilre extinguishing systems comprising a hollow body adapted for connection to a source of re extinguishing fluid and having a fluid egress aperture, a valve in said4 head disposed outwardly of said aperture and adapted to control egress of uid from the aperture, spring meansA arranged to hold the valve normally closed against pressure of iiuid in the head, temperature responsive means carried by the head adapted and arranged to open said valve against the action of said spring means upon predetermined rise in the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere and to permit 'closing of the valve by said spring means upon predetermined fall in the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.

12. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing systems comprising a hollow body open at its opposite ends and having means for communicating the interiorthereof with asource ofv nre extinguishing fluid, a valve seat surrounding the open-- ing at one end of the body. a valve disposed outwardly of andadapted to said seat and including a stem extending toward the second end of the body,vsaid stem having thrust receiving means at the free end thereof, a spring surrounding they stem and in compression between said thrust receiving means and an inner surface of the body adjacent said valved opening. a fluid pressure thermostat carried by the body yin alignmenty with said valve stem and a flexible diaphragm closing the second end of the body and interposed between and engaging both said stem and said thermostat.

13. A sprinkler head for iire` extinguishing systems comprising a hollow body open at its opposite ends and having means for communicatingx the interior thereof with a source of fire extinguishing fluid, a valve seat surrounding the opening at one end of the body, a valve disposed outwardly of and adapted to said Iseat and including a stem extending toward the second end of the v body, a exible diaphragm closing the second end: of the body and engaging said stem, a spring arranged to urge the valve againstfits seat, a fluid pressure thermostat carried by the body out-` wardly of and in contact with said diaphragm,

a nozzle extension at the first named end of the body. having an outlet aperture, a fragile diaphragm disposed between said valve and said. nozzle outlet aperture, and a fluid deilecting member carried by the nozzle in alignment with and spaced outwardly from the fluid egress aperture thereof.

CESAR J. CED. 

